Dakota County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Nebraska Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Dakota County is about the same as Nebraska average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Dakota County is about the same as Nebraska average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #34
| Dakota County | 0.02 |
| Nebraska | 0.04 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Dakota County | 0.0000 |
| Nebraska | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #42
| Dakota County | 195.22 |
| Nebraska | 205.07 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 13,996 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Dakota County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 111 | Cold: | 123 | Dense Fog: | 1 | Drought: | 25 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 1,057 | Hail: | 6,733 | Heat: | 25 | Heavy Snow: | 106 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 38 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 187 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 4,923 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 2 | Winter Storm: | 213 | Winter Weather: | 95 |
| Other: | 357 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Dakota County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Dakota County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Dakota County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 72 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Dakota County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 3.5 | 2001-08-17 | 2 | 42°27'N / 96°34'W | 42°26'N / 96°34'W | 1.50 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 3 | 3.0M | 0 | Dakota |
| Brief Description: A tornado completely destroyed at least ten houses and heavily damaged several others. The tornado heavily damaged the town school, including taking most of the roof off the school. The only church in town and a telephone company building were also heavily damaged. Power lines, poles, and trees were blown down, and electricity and water service were knocked out. Three empty box cars on the southeast side of Jackson were toppled. Three injuries included a woman with a broken leg and cuts rescued from the rubble of a house, and two children with minor injuries. | |||||||||||
| 5.9 | 1986-07-28 | 4 | 42°32'N / 96°41'W | 42°25'N / 96°25'W | 20.00 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25.0M | 0 | Dakota |
| 11.3 | 1975-05-22 | 2 | 42°28'N / 96°22'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Woodbury | |||
| 12.4 | 1968-06-13 | 2 | 42°27'N / 96°20'W | 0.10 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Woodbury | |
| 13.9 | 1964-05-05 | 3 | 42°31'N / 96°25'W | 42°34'N / 96°21'W | 4.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 7 | 2.5M | 0 | Woodbury |
| 14.0 | 1994-07-05 | 3 | 42°20'N / 96°18'W | 1.80 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 5K | Woodbury | |
| 15.3 | 1986-07-28 | 4 | 42°25'N / 96°23'W | 42°12'N / 96°11'W | 11.50 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250.0M | 0 | Woodbury |
| 17.1 | 1967-06-14 | 2 | 42°09'N / 96°29'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Thurston | |
| 17.5 | 1954-06-17 | 3 | 42°07'N / 96°42'W | 42°12'N / 96°42'W | 5.70 Miles | 163 Yards | 1 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Thurston |
| 18.6 | 1992-05-16 | 2 | 42°22'N / 97°01'W | 42°21'N / 96°50'W | 8.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dixon |
| 20.1 | 1986-07-28 | 4 | 42°41'N / 96°58'W | 42°32'N / 96°41'W | 20.00 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Dixon |
| 20.5 | 1970-06-15 | 2 | 42°02'N / 97°25'W | 42°28'N / 96°25'W | 59.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Madison |
| 20.6 | 1979-05-08 | 3 | 42°27'N / 96°10'W | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Woodbury | |||
| 20.7 | 1998-06-23 | 2 | 42°12'N / 96°15'W | 42°12'N / 96°15'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Monona |
| Brief Description: House destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 21.7 | 1955-05-26 | 2 | 42°14'N / 97°00'W | 42°19'N / 96°55'W | 6.50 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Wayne |
| 23.4 | 1986-07-28 | 4 | 42°11'N / 96°14'W | 42°11'N / 96°10'W | 1.00 Mile | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250.0M | 0 | Monona |
| 23.6 | 1992-05-16 | 2 | 42°24'N / 97°02'W | 42°22'N / 97°01'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cedar |
| 24.0 | 1955-06-17 | 2 | 42°15'N / 97°06'W | 42°21'N / 96°56'W | 10.60 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Wayne |
| 24.4 | 1963-06-09 | 2 | 42°23'N / 97°20'W | 42°35'N / 96°43'W | 34.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cedar |
| 25.3 | 1983-09-05 | 2 | 42°23'N / 96°04'W | 2.50 Miles | 127 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Woodbury | |
| 25.6 | 1964-04-20 | 2 | 42°14'N / 97°01'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Wayne | |||
| 25.6 | 1954-06-17 | 3 | 42°05'N / 97°03'W | 42°07'N / 96°42'W | 17.90 Miles | 163 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Stanton |
| 26.1 | 1973-06-18 | 2 | 42°29'N / 96°04'W | 2.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 2 | 10 | 250K | 0 | Woodbury | |
| 26.1 | 1953-06-19 | 2 | 42°13'N / 97°01'W | 0 | 1 | 3K | 0 | Wayne | |||
| 26.1 | 1963-06-09 | 2 | 42°46'N / 96°37'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 26.6 | 1964-09-07 | 2 | 42°42'N / 96°15'W | 2.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 26.6 | 1973-06-18 | 2 | 42°28'N / 96°03'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Woodbury | |
| 27.3 | 1963-05-12 | 2 | 42°13'N / 96°12'W | 42°18'N / 95°55'W | 15.20 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Woodbury |
| 27.4 | 1980-05-29 | 2 | 42°39'N / 96°59'W | 42°41'N / 96°55'W | 3.30 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dixon |
| 28.3 | 1964-08-10 | 2 | 42°25'N / 97°07'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cedar | |||
| 28.3 | 1998-05-28 | 2 | 42°33'N / 97°08'W | 42°33'N / 97°01'W | 8.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Cedar |
| Brief Description: Three farms damaged. Eight to ten power poles downed 8 -10 miles east southeast of Hartington. Injury occurred about 9 miles east of Hartington southeast of the Highway 84/57 interchange. | |||||||||||
| 28.9 | 1953-06-07 | 2 | 42°45'N / 96°36'W | 42°52'N / 96°26'W | 11.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 30.6 | 1967-06-14 | 3 | 42°48'N / 96°35'W | 42°52'N / 96°29'W | 6.20 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 31.3 | 1967-08-01 | 2 | 41°59'N / 96°50'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cuming | |
| 31.7 | 1981-09-26 | 2 | 42°47'N / 96°53'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Clay | |||
| 32.1 | 1970-07-14 | 2 | 42°36'N / 96°00'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 32.6 | 1991-05-28 | 2 | 41°56'N / 96°24'W | 1.00 Mile | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Burt | |
| 32.8 | 1978-07-05 | 2 | 42°54'N / 96°33'W | 42°47'N / 96°10'W | 20.80 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Plymouth |
| 33.0 | 1967-08-16 | 2 | 42°47'N / 96°56'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Clay | |||
| 33.2 | 2003-06-23 | 4 | 42°30'N / 97°19'W | 42°32'N / 97°04'W | 13.00 Miles | 1200 Yards | 1 | 0 | 3.7M | 0 | Cedar |
| Brief Description: An eventual f4 tornado began its destructive path around 6 miles southwest of Coleridge. The tornado moved northeast and crossed the northern sections of the city uprooting trees, downing power lines and destroying a couple of grain bins. A construction business in a garage was also destroyed. The tornado then continued northeast of town hitting a large hog farm. At this farm a 70-year-old man was killed while in a storage shed when a tractor that was flipped by the winds crushed him. Many livestock were also killed by debris or flung through the air by the deadly winds. In one case cattle were carried over a mile then left dead in a pile. The tornado then widened to around 3/4 of a mile, reaching its maximum intensity. Numerous vehicles were tossed at this location and a complete farmstead was flattened. Trees were also stripped and debarked. The tornado remained around 3/4 of a mile wide for a few more miles before turning slightly to the southeast and diminishing, but not before hitting 2 more farmsteads and moving one house off of its foundation. In total, 11 homes received substantial damage and between 100 and 200 utility poles were downed. M70EQ | |||||||||||
| 33.8 | 1963-03-16 | 2 | 42°48'N / 96°12'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 33.8 | 1991-08-07 | 2 | 42°47'N / 96°10'W | 1.50 Miles | 63 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 34.3 | 1991-05-27 | 3 | 41°53'N / 96°28'W | 41°56'N / 96°20'W | 6.00 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Burt |
| 34.5 | 1984-06-11 | 2 | 42°47'N / 96°59'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Clay | |||
| 35.6 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 41°52'N / 96°25'W | 41°55'N / 96°21'W | 4.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Burt |
| 35.9 | 1965-06-07 | 3 | 42°52'N / 96°18'W | 42°48'N / 96°05'W | 11.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 36.1 | 1953-06-07 | 2 | 42°15'N / 97°25'W | 42°25'N / 97°07'W | 18.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Cedar |
| 37.6 | 1964-05-08 | 3 | 42°47'N / 96°10'W | 42°49'N / 95°59'W | 9.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 38.3 | 1965-06-07 | 3 | 42°55'N / 96°48'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Union | |||
| 39.0 | 1962-05-21 | 3 | 42°26'N / 97°27'W | 42°46'N / 97°06'W | 29.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Cedar |
| 39.5 | 1967-06-14 | 2 | 42°53'N / 96°10'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth | |
| 39.6 | 1975-05-06 | 3 | 41°58'N / 97°12'W | 42°12'N / 97°14'W | 15.90 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Stanton |
| 39.9 | 1954-05-27 | 2 | 42°49'N / 96°05'W | 42°51'N / 96°02'W | 2.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 42.9 | 1987-07-07 | 2 | 43°01'N / 96°29'W | 43°00'N / 96°27'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Sioux |
| 43.0 | 1965-06-07 | 2 | 42°54'N / 97°03'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Clay | |||
| 43.2 | 1950-07-15 | 4 | 41°48'N / 96°36'W | 41°44'N / 96°25'W | 10.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 33 | 2.5M | 0 | Burt |
| 43.9 | 1964-09-07 | 2 | 42°47'N / 95°58'W | 42°47'N / 95°48'W | 7.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 44.0 | 1965-09-09 | 2 | 42°03'N / 95°54'W | 42°07'N / 95°43'W | 10.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Monona |
| 45.0 | 1987-07-07 | 2 | 43°04'N / 96°37'W | 43°01'N / 96°29'W | 6.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Union |
| 45.7 | 1991-05-28 | 2 | 41°56'N / 95°57'W | 41°56'N / 95°53'W | 5.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Monona |
| 46.0 | 1978-07-05 | 2 | 43°02'N / 96°15'W | 42°56'N / 96°03'W | 11.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Sioux |
| 46.3 | 1991-08-07 | 2 | 42°49'N / 95°54'W | 42°49'N / 95°49'W | 3.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Plymouth |
| 46.8 | 1954-05-30 | 4 | 41°59'N / 97°22'W | 42°03'N / 97°17'W | 5.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Stanton |
| 46.8 | 2008-06-11 | 2 | 41°48'N / 96°06'W | 41°51'N / 96°01'W | 5.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Harrison |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This is a continuation of the tornado that initially touched down in Burt county Nebraska, about 4.5 miles west of Little Sioux Iowa. The tornado eventually reached EF3 strength in Monona county when it hit a boyscout camp where 4 fatalities and 48 injuries occurred. The tornado crossed into Harrison county near mile marker 97 on Interstate 29 where a semi-truck was flipped. The tornado snapped power poles northeast of there with an estimated strength of EF2 in Harrison county. The tornado then crossed into Monona county Iowa about 4 miles north of Little Sioux. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A very strong and unseasonably cold upper level low pressure system that was tracking across the northern plains brought a strong low level jet to the region during the early morning hours of June 11th. The warm and unstable air that worked north into the region helped spawn early morning severe thunderstorms across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. Later that day as the upper level system worked into the central Dakotas, a cold front pushed across the region. This helped set off another round of thunderstorms that developed over east central Nebraska by late afternoon. Isolated small supercell thunderstorms initially developed ahead of the cold front over eastern Nebraska, but they were quickly overtaken by a broken line of larger supercell thunderstorms, some of the heavy precipitation type, that developed along the cold front. Cell mergers and training were observed well into the evening hours as the activity quickly spread across southwest Iowa. The storms produced a total of 8 confirmed tornadoes in the Omaha/Valley warning area which covers eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. | |||||||||||
| 47.3 | 1991-08-07 | 2 | 42°49'N / 95°49'W | 42°45'N / 95°47'W | 5.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cherokee |
| 47.7 | 2008-06-11 | 3 | 41°51'N / 96°01'W | 41°54'N / 95°52'W | 7.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 4 | 48 | 0K | 0K | Monona |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado tragically hit a boyscout camp north of Little Sioux Iowa killing 4 young scouts. The tornado initially touched down in Burt county Nebraska, crossed into Harrison county Iowa near mile marker 97 on Interstate 29, and then finally crossed into Monona county Iowa about 4 miles north of Little Sioux. In Monona county the tornado entered the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, destroying the rangers home near the entrance of the park giving it a rating of EF3. The storm then blew down trees and destroyed bunk houses at the camp. Four scouts were killed in one bunk house when a brick chimney collapsed on them. In total 48 people were injured at the camp. The tornado continued to topple trees as it tracked into Preparation Canyon State Park. Just before it entered the park a farmstead sustained damage. The tornado hit another farmstead about 2.5 miles southwest of Moorhead where trees were blown down and sheds damaged. The tornado then began to weaken and finally lifted about 2 miles southwest of Moorhead. The total path length was around 14 miles. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A very strong and unseasonably cold upper level low pressure system that was tracking across the northern plains brought a strong low level jet to the region during the early morning hours of June 11th. The warm and unstable air that worked north into the region helped spawn early morning severe thunderstorms across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. Later that day as the upper level system worked into the central Dakotas, a cold front pushed across the region. This helped set off another round of thunderstorms that developed over east central Nebraska by late afternoon. Isolated small supercell thunderstorms initially developed ahead of the cold front over eastern Nebraska, but they were quickly overtaken by a broken line of larger supercell thunderstorms, some of the heavy precipitation type, that developed along the cold front. Cell mergers and training were observed well into the evening hours as the activity quickly spread across southwest Iowa. The storms produced a total of 8 confirmed tornadoes in the Omaha/Valley warning area which covers eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. | |||||||||||
| 47.8 | 1964-05-05 | 3 | 42°34'N / 96°21'W | 43°11'N / 95°26'W | 62.90 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Plymouth |
| 48.3 | 1959-05-30 | 2 | 42°49'N / 97°29'W | 42°50'N / 97°08'W | 17.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cedar |
| 48.7 | 1966-06-02 | 2 | 43°06'N / 96°24'W | 43°02'N / 96°11'W | 11.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Sioux |
| 49.6 | 1984-06-17 | 2 | 41°53'N / 97°15'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Stanton | |
| 49.8 | 1960-06-15 | 2 | 41°42'N / 96°17'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Burt | |||
| 50.0 | 1959-05-30 | 3 | 42°53'N / 97°17'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Yankton | |||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.